CA, US & World
Fat Bear Week Returns With More Bears, Votes and a Familiar Champion
Forget March Madness. The September showdown is back.
Fat Bear Week is entering its 12th year at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, where brown bears spend the summer loading up on salmon before heading into winter hibernation.
The 2026 bracket will be revealed Friday, Sept. 18, with public voting scheduled to begin Tuesday, Sept. 22. The tournament runs through Sept. 29, when this year’s champion will be crowned.
Fat Bear Week began in 2014 as a one-day competition and has grown into an international event. More than 1.7 million votes were cast from more than 100 countries last year, when Bear 32, nicknamed “Chunk,” won the championship.
The bears gather along the Brooks River, where they take advantage of an abundant supply of salmon. The food helps them build the fat reserves they need to survive the winter.
“Fat Bear Week is an opportunity for us to not only tell the stories of the bears and what they need to do to survive, but also to help share with the world this remarkable place,” a Katmai official said.
The difference in the bears’ appearance from early summer to fall can be dramatic. Large bears can gain several hundred pounds of fat before entering their winter dens, according to the National Park Service.
There is no dieting during Fat Bear Week. The bears’ success at finding food — and the weight they put on — is part of what makes the competition possible.
One bear getting plenty of attention again this year is 32 “Chunk,” the reigning champion. The National Park Service says Chunk returned to Brooks River in 2025 with a broken jaw, but the injury healed and did not prevent him from successfully eating and gaining enough weight to survive winter.
Park officials say Chunk has returned this September looking well-fed, although he was not seen as frequently earlier in the summer.
Mike Fitz, who was a park ranger when the competition began, has also remained closely associated with Fat Bear Week. What started with roughly 1,700 votes in 2014 has become a worldwide celebration of Katmai’s bears.
The event also gives viewers a closer look at individual bears and the ecosystem supporting them. Live cameras allow people around the world to watch the bears along the Brooks River.
This year, the National Park Service says there are more bear cubs at Brooks Camp than have been seen in a long time.
Fat Bear Week voting runs Sept. 22-29, with no voting on the weekend. The public can follow the competition and watch the bears through live cams at Explore.org.
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.
By: NBC Palm Springs
September 18, 2026
Latest Instagram Posts
Alice B. has announced it’s closing its doors. It’s cozy atmosphere and unique seasonal menu made it a must try and even landed it in the Michelin guide. @susanfeniger and @marysuemilliken left their mark on the desert over at Living Out and it will be missed. Here’s a clip from one of our last interviews with Susan.
Cathedral City City Council votes to rename “LGBT+ Days” to “Cathedral City Pride”. The council approved the change in a 5-0 vote during its latest meeting, updating the official name of the city’s annual celebration. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs to see what this means to the Coachella Valley Community #CathedralCity #pride #CityCouncil #CoachellaValley #LocalNews
Discover the Coachella Valley with the Everything Palm Springs app. From iconic attractions and hidden gems to local restaurants, shops, entertainment and even filming locations, the map-based app is designed to help both visitors and locals find more of what the desert has to offer. Creator Lindsay Kinkle is also expanding the app with video tours and narrated guides, giving users another way to explore Palm Springs and the surrounding communities. Local businesses like Buena Matcha are also getting a chance to connect with new customers through the platform. As Lindsay says, there’s so much to do and enjoy here — you just have to know where to look. #PalmSprings #CoachellaValley #EverythingPalmSprings #PalmSpringsApp #VisitPalmSprings DesertLife LocalBusiness CoachellaValleyBusiness NBCPalmSprings
Social Time with Thalia & Jerry
What’s next for Palm Desert? Join community leaders, local businesses and regional stakeholders for the 2026 State of the City Address. Topics: • Economic Development • Infrastructure • Public Safety • Community Programs • Palm Desert’s Future CTA: Friday, September 18 | 11:30 AM JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort
Former Silvercrest CEO, William Rodriguez is expected back in court today in connection with the deadly 2024 Cathedral City hit and run that killed a woman. The murder charge was dismissed, but Rodriguez still faces felony hit and run and suspended license charges.
Social Time with Thalia & Jerry
Murder suspect Vicky Kim has once again not been cleared to appear in court. Kim is accused of killing her husband at their Palm Desert condominium complex. Her arraignment has now been delayed three times. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs as we track the latest developments in this case. #VickyKim #PalmDesert #CoachellaValley #BreakingNews #CourtUpdate NBCPalmSprings
Palm Springs is mourning the loss of beloved entertainer James “Gypsy” Haake, who has died at 94. Haake began his entertainment career at just 19 years old as a Broadway chorus dancer. After retiring from the stage, he returned to performing at 82, becoming the host of Carnival Cabaret at Oscars in downtown Palm Springs. A longtime friend of our station, Haake was a familiar and beloved figure in the Palm Springs entertainment community — and his contributions were recognized with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. His career spanned more than seven decades, proving that the spotlight never truly left him. ❤️ Rest in peace, James “Gypsy” Haake. Your legacy will live on in Palm Springs. #JamesGypsyHaake #PalmSprings #PalmSpringsWalkOfStars #CarnivalCabaret #PalmSpringsEntertainment #OscarsPalmSprings #PalmSpringsHistory
Social Time with Thalia & Jerry